Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has called for investigations into the roles of John Swinney and Nicola Sturgeon over alleged failures at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow.
The former shadow minister described the issues at the hospital as “the biggest scandal in the history of the Scottish Parliament”, and in his view, a criminal offence had taken place.
He called for an investigation into government ministers and hospital personnel who were in office at the time the hospital opened, including the first minister, finance secretary, and health secretary at the time, who were Nicola Sturgeon, John Swinney and Shona Robison, respectively.
Sarwar argued the politicians were “part of the conspiracy that led to devastating consequences”.
“They have to be investigated and I think it is a criminal act,” he added.
Sarwar asserted there was a need to “get to the truth about who knew what and when, [and] who was part of that conspiracy which led to devastating consequences.”
The Scottish Conservatives have urged the health minister, Neil Gray to make an urgent statement in parliament about the matter on Tuesday.
Read also the related story on New Daily Prime: UK approves China’s London mega-Embassy despite US security concerns
The Scottish Conservatives’ health spokesman, Dr Sandesh Gulhane, said there should be “clarity and accountability on this huge and growing scandal”.
He said: “After years of cover-up, denial and the undermining of whistleblowers, the eleventh-hour admission by NHS bosses of a link between the contaminated water and infections – just as the inquiry is concluding – is cynical and shameful.
“This scandal resulted in lives being lost. Grieving families deserve answers, so the health secretary must come clean on what ministers knew and when.”
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde revealed that problems with the water system at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital were likely responsible for infections in child cancer patients.
Meanwhile, the health board had previously denied that bacteria in the hospital’s water supply caused infections linked to patient deaths.
However, in its closing submissions to the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, the board stated that there was likely a “causal connection” between the infections suffered by patients and the hospital environment, particularly the water system.
For more details, visit New Daily Prime at www.newdailyprime.news
